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I, Tonya – A Surprisingly Unorthodox Biopic

ICYMI: My earlier review of I, Tonya from this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, originally found here.

Synopsis: Tonya Harding dominated the ice with unrivaled athleticism. She dominated the headlines for something else entirely. I, TONYA is an at times absurd, tragic and hilarious look at the woman at the center of the biggest scandal in sports history. (VVS Films)

Now this one came out of nowhere. In terms of sports biopic, this might not be the most original story but what sets this apart from the others was the manner in which it was presented. The film tells the story of the famous figure skater Tonya Harding (Robbie) in an extremely humorous way. It does so from interviews, and occasional fourth-wall breaking, with they many eccentric people from her life. This approach allowed the story to portray these characters in a more realistic way and made it a lot of fun to watch too.

It definitely would not have worked if not for Robbie’s performance as Harding. She brought out Harding’s fiestyness and sheer determination to succeed and pave her own path regardless of what others thought of her. Stan was great as her complicated love interest but what most will remember is Janney’s performance as Harding’s wise-cracking mother.

Overall, this was a great sports biopic that approached the story of Tonya Harding in a smart, refreshing way. It was extremely hilarious but also well-acted all around.

Score: 9.5/10

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